1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a toner container detachably attached to the main body of an image forming apparatus to supply toner to be used in the image forming process, and the image forming apparatus including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional image forming apparatuses using an electrophotographic system such as copying machines, printers, facsimiles, or multifunction products provided with these functions, a cylindrical toner container for supplying toner to a developing device is known (see, for example, Patent document 1, Patent document 2, and Patent document 3).
In Patent document 1 and the like, a toner container (toner bottle, agent storage container) replaceably installed in a toner-container holder (bottle holder, attachment portion) of the main body of the image forming apparatus mainly includes a container body and a to-be-held portion (hereinafter, “held portion”) (cap portion, cap). A spiral-shaped projection is provided along the inner circumferential surface of the container body, and the toner contained in the container body is conveyed toward an opening through rotation of the container body. The held portion communicates with the opening of the container body, and it is non-rotatably held by the toner-container holder, i.e., it does not rotate with the container body. The toner output from the opening of the container body is discharged from a toner outlet provided in the held portion. Thereafter, the toner discharged from the toner outlet of the held portion is supplied to the developing device.
The toner container configured in the above manner can reduce toner stain upon replacement of the toner container as compared with toner containers (see, for example, Patent document 5 and Patent document 6) each of which has no held portion and directly supplies toner from the opening of the container body to the developing device. More specifically, because the toner outlet of the held portion is opened or closed in synchronization with part of attachment/detachment operation (rotating operation) of the toner container, such trouble that the user's hands become stained with toner by touching the toner outlet can be suppressed. Further, the toner outlet is formed downwardly in the lower part of the toner container in the vertical direction, and when the toner container is getting empty, the amount of toner near the toner outlet can be reduced due to the drop by its own weight. Therefore, the toner stain in the toner outlet upon replacement of the toner container is reduced.
More specifically, in Patent document 1 and the like, when the toner container is to be attached to the toner-container holder in the main body of the apparatus, at first, a main-body cover (stack portion) is opened upwardly and the toner-container holder is exposed. Then, the toner container is placed on the toner-container holder from the upper side thereof. Thereafter, a handle integrally provided to the held portion is held, so that the held portion is rotated (rotating operation). With this operation, the position of the toner container is finally fixed in the toner-container holder. Furthermore, the toner outlet provided in the held portion is moved to the lower part in response to the rotation of the held portion, and a shutter opens the toner outlet downwardly so as to resist the biasing force of a spring.
On the other hand, Patent document 4 or the like discloses a toner storage container having a bag container and a cap member. A toner outlet of the cap member is opened/closed in synchronization with a partial operation (rotating operation of an open/close folder) of the attachment/detachment operation of the toner storage container, for the purpose of reducing toner stain (toner scatter) occurring upon the attachment/detachment operation.
More specifically, when the toner storage container is attached to the apparatus body, at first, an open/close holder (open/close folder) is rotated around a hinge and the upper side of the open/close holder is exposed. Then, the toner storage container is set in the open/close holder. Thereafter, the open/close holder with the toner storage container set therein is rotated (rotating operation) around the hinge. With this operation, the position of the toner storage container is finally fixed in the apparatus body. Furthermore, a plug member (shutter member) is pushed by a nozzle (toner conveying pipe) in response to the rotation of the open/close holder so as to resist the biasing force of a spring, to open the toner outlet sealed by a packing (G seal).    Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-287404    Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-5286    Patent document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-310901    Patent document 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-161371    Patent document 5: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-338758    Patent document 6: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-233248
Each of the toner containers disclosed in Patent documents 1 to 3 or so has less toner stain in the toner outlet as compared with that in Patent documents 5 and 6 or so, and therefore, it can be expected to obtain the effect of preventing such trouble that the user's hands become stained with toner by touching the toner outlet. However, the toner containers in Patent documents 1 to 3 or so are disadvantages in terms of operability/workability upon its attachment/detachment (replacement).
A first disadvantage is such that the attachment/detachment operation to/from the toner-container holder is implemented with a plurality of operations. More specifically, the attachment/detachment operation of the toner container includes the plurality of operations such as an operation of opening/closing the main-body cover, an operation of placing/removing the toner container on/from the toner-container holder, and an operation of rotating the held portion.
A second disadvantage is such that it is difficult for the user to check that the operation is performed properly nearly until the completion of the attachment operation. More specifically, the user cannot feel certain that the operation is correct at the point in time when the operation of opening the main-body cover and the operation of placing the toner container on the toner-container holder are complete. Thereafter, by rotating the held portion to fix the position of the held portion, the user gains a click feeling of the held portion, and feels certain that no erroneous operation is done.
A third disadvantage is such that the upper side of the toner-container holder is restricted in terms of layout. More specifically, to place the toner container on the toner-container holder from the upper side, the operation of opening/closing the main-body cover in the vertical direction is needed. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure space required for layout to open/close the main-body cover and place/remove the toner container. This causes reduction in operability/workability in attachment and detachment of the toner container when a scanner (document reader) or the like is provided above the toner-container holder.
On the other hand, in the toner storage container described in Patent document 4 or the like, the plug member is pushed by the nozzle in response to the opening operation of the open/close holder, to open the toner outlet sealed by the packing. Therefore, the effect of reducing occurrence of toner stain can be expected. However, the toner storage container according to Patent document 4 or the like also has some disadvantages in terms of operability/workability upon its attachment/detachment.
A first disadvantage is such that the toner amount of the toner storage container cannot be increased and the frequency of replacement of the toner storage container therefore increases. The toner storage container has a longitudinal bag container for containing toner. The bag container is arranged so that it stands vertically. Therefore, if the capacity of the bag container is to be increased, the height of the toner storage container needs to be increased. This increases the height of the open/close holder, thereby affecting the layout in the height of the whole image forming apparatus. Therefore, the toner amount of the toner storage container cannot be increased so much, and the replacement frequency increases thereby as compared with the toner containers (in which the horizontal direction is set as the longitudinal direction) according to Patent document 1 and the like.
A second disadvantage is such that it is difficult for the user to feel certain that no erroneous operation is done. More specifically, because the plug member opens/closes the toner outlet in synchronization with the open/close operation of the open/close holder, it is difficult for the user to feel if the toner outlet is actually opened or closed because the user does not touch the toner storage container during the operation.
The present invention has been achieved to solve at least the conventional problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a toner container with high operability/workability during its replacement and capable of reliably reducing occurrence of toner stain, and an image forming apparatus including the same.